In the Kremlin, there are expectations of an explosive worsening of the criminal situation in Russia. This was the main theme of Putin's speech at the expanded meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. This is why the Russian dictator demands that his punitive department respond harshly to manifestations of "extremism" and act swiftly to counter crimes rooted in religious and national intolerance—crimes that are a direct result of the war against Ukraine and Moscow's anti-migrant policies.
It is worth noting that in the first half of 2014, over 403,000 serious and especially serious crimes were recorded in Russia. This is a record high for the last 13 years. Factors affecting crime in Russia include the war against Ukraine, terrorism, extremism, illegal migration, poverty, the indebtedness of Russians, inflation, the growth of the "black market," and the return of former prisoners from the war.
On his part, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, V. Kolokoltsev, acknowledged the problem of staff shortages in the department. The shortage stands at 172,000 people. The lack of certified personnel in criminal investigations is 23.9%, in patrol and post services is 31.4%, in drug control units is 24.7%, and in pre-investigation bodies is 22.7%.
Despite mass resignations from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Russia maintains its leadership in the number of police officers per capita. In 2024, there were 643 Ministry of Internal Affairs employees per 100,000 Russians. For comparison, in China, India, and the USA, this figure is 120, 128, and 256 police officers, respectively. In the European Union, from 2019 to 2021, the average was 335.3 police officers per 100,000 people.
Official Moscow can no longer ignore the problems of extremism and religious radicalism, which are leading to an increase in separatist sentiments. The Russian government's focus on funding the war against Ukraine has resulted in cuts to spending, particularly on law enforcement, indicating deepening financial problems within Russia. As a result, worsening the criminal situation inside Russia can no longer be avoided.
